Dutch former indoor star Bas van de Goor now tournament director of the The Hague Grand Slam in 2013 and 2014 and the World Championships in 2015

The Hague, the Netherlands, June 11, 2013 - Former volleyball star and tournament director of the Transavia The Hague Grand Slam Bas van de Goor announced on Tuesday that he will also operate as tournament director for the Grand Slam in The Hague in 2014 and the FIVB World Championships in 2015.

His main drive is to make beach volleyball more popular in the Netherlands. During the World Championships in 2015, there will be a lot of volleyball courts on the beach, so everyone can play the game. “There is a nice beach over here and we want to make kilometres of fields and make a big recreational competition.”

Floating court

The World Championships will be played in four cities in The Netherlands; Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn and The Hague. Organiser TIG Sports has plans for a floating court in The Hague on the ‘Hofvijver’, the pond next to the parliament building. In Amsterdam there will be courts next to one of the royal palaces.

Van de Goor (43) was a professional indoor volleyball player and part of the Dutch team that won gold at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. “I was surprised when they asked me to be the tournament director, but I didn’t have to think about it. I said ‘yes’ immediately”, said Van de Goor.

Almost part of Beach Team Holland

The former centre never played beach volleyball although he did have an opportunity to become part of Beach Team Holland. “I got an offer to become the partner of Bram Ronnes, who played the Olympics of 2008, but starting a new sport at the age of 37, while not having played indoor volleyball for two years, that wasn’t really a good idea. That’s why I kindly refused.”

According to the former international the biggest difference between indoor volleyball and beach volleyball, is the mental aspect. “On the beach you are a couple and if you play bad, you’re still in the game. When you play bad during an indoor match, you are on the bench. I think mentally it’s a very impressive game.”